Sitcom Trials Autumn '09

Entries are now "officially" open for the 10th Annivesary season of the Sitcom Trials. Script will be accepted up to Midnight on Sunday 6th September.

The rules, guidelines, and email address for submissions for the competition can be found on the new look Sitcom Trials website, which will also provide news and information about the competition as it progresses.

http://www.sitcomtrials.co.uk

The live shows will take place from mid October in a knockout format in front of an invited panel of industry judges each week. The Sitcom Trials has been highly successful in the past at maintaining a large audience of industry figures from a wide range of literary agents, as well as representatives from almost all the major TV and radio production companies, so it is very much geared towards showcasing the very best new writers in front of the people who matter.

For those who were involved in the past, the format has slightly changed since last year, and harks back to the earlier days of the contest, where writers were asked to submit a ten minute script that ended on a cliff hanger (or at least a natural break) with a two-three minute finale, of which only one will be shown per show based on an audience vote, so please keep this in mind when preparing your scripts.

You can ask questions about script submission in this thread, and I shall try to answer them in as complete and timely fashion as possible.

James Parker
Producer, The Sitcom Trials http://www.sitcomtrials.co.uk

Good luck everyone, you're going to need it, 'cos I'm entering this year

Quote: Leevil @ July 5 2009, 11:35 AM BST

Good luck everyone, you're going to need it, 'cos I'm entering this year

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Me too, not planning on winning though.
Only thing I ever won was a race to an ovary, was locked up for nine months then got a good arse slapping when they let me out. Made me very suspicious of success.

Oh, haven't they told you yet? You're a robot.

Just a little query James. Re this bit in the entry requirements...

"The Sitcom Trials and Leicester Square Theatre reserve the right of first option on the development of any script showcased in the finals of the Sitcom Trials, for broadcast or other media."

Can you give us any more details on what kind of option it is? Is it for you to act as production company or associate producer of some kind?

Quote: Griff @ July 6 2009, 10:32 AM BST

*bumping Marc's question as it is something I'd like to know about before sending scripts off*

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Sorry for the delay, guys, in a classic case of passing the buck, I didn't want to give an incomplete or misleading answer to this so I'm just waiting for some clarification.

James

I've escalated the query and the official guidance is:

"The details are being finalised by Kev and the Leicester Square Theatre now in order that precise formal terms can be offered to writers if and when their scripts get shortlisted."

All you would be doing at the moment is agreeing to negotiate further if your script is picked for the live shows, and so in the unlikely event the conditions don't suit you, you will have every opportunity to back out.

The reason that there's anything at all on the submission page at this stage is that we didn't want the finalists to feel that an agreement was being sprung on them at a later date (as has happened in the past) and we're being as up-front as possible, albeit in a tremendously wooly fashion.

Basically - just enter Enjoy it - you'll have plenty of time for worrying later on

James

Quote: J'Parker @ July 7 2009, 10:22 AM BST

Basically - just enter Enjoy it - you'll have plenty of time for worrying later on

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Exactly what my ex wife said when I met her.

Quote: J'Parker @ July 7 2009, 10:22 AM BST

Basically - just enter Enjoy it - you'll have plenty of time for worrying later on

View original

I was ignoring the criticisms of the competition before. But what kind of a statement is that?!

Ah, f**k it. I'd be happy to see my stuff being performed. I'm not in it for the money (I am). So I'll just smile politely and hand over my script.

Can I at least have my bunny rabbit back, as we agreed?

It there a particular file format you're keen on?

I've never found a file format that I couldn't read... but PLEASE don't see that as a challenge.

Given that it's out there - pdf as a first choice (so as to maintain your beautiful formatting), then word (any version), if you can't do either of those, whatever you've written it in should be fine.

And remember to include your contact details on the script as well as on your e-mail, lest the two get separated. Cheers

Ah, PDF. That's good. I was just wondering is all. It will determine which program I write with.

Any word on my rabbit?

What is PDF?

Quote: Griff @ July 7 2009, 4:22 PM BST

Pantomime Dame Format. It helps you fill your script full of childish double entendres and stale topical gags. Ideal for the Trials!

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I don't need a programme for that I can assure you! I've got a knob on my computer that generates that sort of stuff.